Under the Bill, a large number of Members of the House must vote for a Dissolution. The person who decides whether there is a general election is, therefore, the Leader of the Opposition, because if the Government and the Opposition want a Dissolution, it happens. Under the amendments, the House of Lords would effectively be taking power away from the Leader of the Opposition, who would be in a position to provide the numbers for a Dissolution.
Fixed-term Parliaments Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Robert Syms
(Conservative)
in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 13 July 2011.
It occurred during Debate on bills on Fixed-term Parliaments Bill.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
531 c366 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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Timestamp
2023-12-15 19:06:13 +0000
URI
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